Did Gigi Hadid ‘mock Asian people’ by mimicking a Buddha cookie?

Gigi Hadid Steps Out In NYC

Sometimes, I feel like anti-Asian racism is seen as more “acceptable” in America than racism against other groups. Like, people feel like it’s more socially acceptable to stereotype and mock Asians and Asian-Americans for some reason. Most of it probably falls under the banner of racial microaggressions, but I’m not sure if this is that.

You might have seen the headlines already: “Gigi Hadid hates Asian people” or “Gigi Hadid mocks Asian people.” And I thought, “Oh, this could be interesting.” Bella Hadid posted a video (which Bella later deleted) of Gigi at a birthday party-dinner. Gigi is handed a cookie in the shape of Buddha’s face, and Gigi holds the cookie up to her face and mimics his expression while “squinting.” One of Zayn’s fan-accounts grabbed the video so you can see it for yourself:

I’ve been reading the tweets about this on that video and elsewhere, and Gigi is being slammed hard. As she should be, even though I think many of the people doing the slamming are Zayn’s ride-or-die fans or 1Ders who can’t let it go. As for what we should call this… yes, it’s racist and mostly ignorant. It’s what I would expect from someone who thinks Pakistan is in the Middle East.

Gigi Hadid Steps Out In NYC

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.

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98 Responses to “Did Gigi Hadid ‘mock Asian people’ by mimicking a Buddha cookie?”

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  1. ZAN says:

    Oh come on.. She was laughing at a cookie, not a real person.

    • Dtab says:

      +100% totally agree

      • Megan says:

        Isn’t the cookie what is really racist in this scenario? Should a religious symbol be dessert?

      • freebunny says:

        I don’t know.
        If a chinese/asian restaurant, managed by asian people, chose to serve a Bhudda cookie, it’s not to us to judge if it’s racist or not.
        We’re not asian/ buddhist, we can’t say to asian people that they’re wrong to use Bhudda image the way they do. It would be patronizing.

      • Megan says:

        @freebunny my comment was sarcasm.

      • Bella says:

        Not all Buddhists are of Asian descent, plenty of us throughout Europe and North America (I’m Canadian). The fact is that Asians (Buddhist and non-alike) routinely exploit Buddha’s image for commercial gain. Outside temples in Thailand you will see posters advising that Tattoos of Buddha are considered disrespectful, which comes as a surprise to many tourists, who got inked thinking it showed the highest respect. Gigi pulling a face is not offensive, or racist, it was simply a thoughtless, fleeting gesture.

    • Maria says:

      i did not think it was too bad, but on the other hand, if that is the case, why delete the video?

      and I am not generalizing, but Germany (where i live after a stint of 13 years in Manhattan) is not yet as politically correct as the US. I am sometimes flabbergasted at what people say in polite conversations. Making fun of the Asian accent, i.e. as pronouncing the R like L, will be dropped in regular conversation like it is no big deal and everybody laughs. I once hear a sport caster comment on the “slit eyes” of one of the athletes. I literally fell off my sofa. And most of the people I complaint about did not think it was a big deal…. Apparently being racist is first and foremost just complaining about the color of ones skin…….

      • Valois says:

        I’m aware that you’re talking about your experience, but my experience with Germany’s completely different. Said sport caster would face a huge shit storm and I don’t know anyone who thinks it’s okay to imitate Asian accents. I mean, even using the word Gypsy is considered xenophobic while it’s still at use in other countries.

        (I’m not saying Germany doesn’t have a problem with xenophobia, every country does.)

    • Greenieweenie says:

      I would so much rather save the outrage for the lack of recognition of systemic issues over the maybe faux pas? (She just looks like she’s half closing her eyes like the Buddha figurine? Is this really so definitive?)

      • Alleycat says:

        She had her eyes half closed, as in, making fun of Asian eyes. I think fans can be upset about this. Anti-Asian racism is definitely looked over in this country. Who are we to pick and choose what people should be upset over? If Asians are saying it’s offensive, it’s offensive.

      • Shambles says:

        I’m not saying what she did was right, but “Buddha eyes” are indeed a thing in many spiritual cultures. The Buddha has his eyes half-closed, symbolic of his being in a constant state of mediation/bliss, but also being present in the world. Sometimes, after a group mediation, one of my spiritual teachers will have us open our eyes halfway, to symbolize bringing the stillness of the inner world into the outer world, “like the Buddha.”

      • Greenieweenie says:

        @alleycat, I don’t interpret half closed eyes that way. I interpret it as an imitation of the Buddha’s facial expression, period. Like holding up a doll and making the same face. It’s not like she’s pulling up the corners of her eyes in classic mockery?

      • Lyka says:

        @Shambles, I take your point, but Gigi wasn’t closing her eyes halfway in a meditative posture. She was squinting them — it was clearly her imitation of “Asian eyes”. It’s a mockery Asian people have been subjected to for ages.

        The “Asian eyes are squinty LOL” thing is about as funny as the notion that “Black hair is weird to touch.” It’s such a small thing, and many don’t mean it maliciously, but over the course of a person’s lifetime, that sh*t is alienating and dehumanizing.

        And @Greenieweenie, we can do all the good work necessary to recognize and fight systemic racism, but it doesn’t make casual racism any less painful for those who live with it relentlessly. Perhaps this mockery isn’t “classic” by your terms — but why would that mean it’s inherently less offensive/dumb?

      • Greenieweenie says:

        I’m gonna have to side with Lainey on this one. Her offense should be to Buddhists…not “Asians”, which is such a broad term as to hold little meaning at all. Chinese and Indonesians are both Asians, and look rather different.

        And like Lainey, I find it far more annoying to hear white people loud-talking non-Anglophones. Saw it just this morning with a French woman at the DMV.

      • LoveIsBlynd says:

        I lived in a small town in my 20’s and we had tourists as well as people living there from all over the globe. We all sort of “got on” to a particular accent when a new group was prominent, it was the trend to used particular colloquialisms or accents- the asian, a new york, brazilian, etc. It became the community joke and I think all of us had a turn- my family is Puerto Rican so that had some poking too. I look back, and from an outsider it might seem like “mocking”, and maybe cultural exploitation, but it was all in fun. Honestly that was the -least- xenophobic place I’ve ever lived. We all thrived on diversity of cultures and appearances; it was the first place where people told me they “loved my skin” or “the way I spoke” versus other places in the US where I experienced pigeon holing or prejudice.

    • happinessinme says:

      yeh…I think she was more making fun of herself if anything.

    • Radley says:

      Buddha wasn’t a real person?? You sure about that my friend?

      I certainly don’t think there was ill intent. It’s just thoughtless and that’s often the issue. It’s not outrageous for Asian people to say that’s not cool, especially since it’s not coming out of nowhere. Making fun of east Asian people’s eyes is a thing. You all know that. Just think. Be considerate. Be decent. That’s the bare minimum and yet white people are acting put out about it? Not ok.

      P.S. Gigi Hadid has proven repeatedly she’s not the sharpest knife. I don’t know why people want to defend her. Let her take the criticism and maybe learn something. It’s ultimately doing her a favor.

    • Sarah says:

      I’m Asian and I cosign this comment. Also I have better things to do than worry about a model impersonating a cookie for half a second

    • aang says:

      +100, it’s gone too far.

    • LadyT says:

      She’s smiling like her cookie’s face. Laughing Buddha. Do it. Close your eyes, smile a big smile with fat cheeks. Do you feel racist?

    • MiniMii says:

      Thank you! This political correctness is out of control – it was a f***ing cookie!

  2. Louise177 says:

    It doesn’t look like racism. It looked like the eyes were closed on the cookie as well and Gigi was just mimicking it. If she was speaking broken English with an “Asian” accent then I could see the criticism but I don’t think this is wrong.

    • Radley says:

      Where are the standards for “is it racist”? Where’s all that documented for future reference? And let me guess, white people are the gatekeeper of those ever changing standards, right?

      If the majority of Asian people weighing in on this say this is not ok, it’s not ok. Non-Asian people don’t get to decide.

      • Madailein says:

        Thank you! As far as I know, ONLY the minority or group being possibly mocked is allowed to decide how *they* feel about it–whether the act/words/gesture really is racist, or not. Who am I to decide what should and should not offend someone else?

      • grumpy says:

        But she is (half) Asian herself, so she gets to decide. The definition of racism is: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior.

        So, this is her race anyway and how does her copying a smiley buddha face suggest that she believes that she is of an inferior race?

  3. Jess says:

    I see conspiracy everywhere lol… but Bella posting this is interesting. Was she trying to make her (more successful) sister look bad?

    • ell says:

      gigi isn’t more successful though, bella is doing incredibly well. in fact, recently bella has walked more and did more editorials than gigi, as she has more of a high fashion look. she probably posted it without thinking.

      • Adriana says:

        Gigi is definitely more successful. She just bagged her 19th Vogue cover while Bella hasn’t even scored 5. Bella is increasingly more successful but not as much as her sister yet. But like you I think she posted it without thinking.

  4. ell says:

    that’s why not everything should be filmed with a phone; we all do stupid shit sometimes without thinking. that said, yes it was quite racist. hopefully she can learn from this.

  5. Adriana says:

    This is what happens when you date an ex 1D guy. Their fans will be on the lookout to drag you at the slightest mistake.

  6. teacakes says:

    ….they do know that she can be quite sincere in her support for refugees/protest while fucking up in other ways, right?

    Also why is the Buddha even a cookie?

  7. detritus says:

    She deserves t be called out maybe, but not full on dragged over this. It’s dumb, and she needs to learn.

    I am incredibly embarrassed of all the racist, sexist, ableist shit I said as a teen and young adult. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t actually dislike/think less of Jewish people, or Asians, or whatever. I actually felt they were super integrated and safe, that made it ok somehow. Like I wouldn’t be racist against black folk because I knew ACTUAL racists who didn’t like black folk. Sigh. I was so bloody ignorant and I hurt people who didn’t deserve it for sure. Only one girl ever tried to talk to me about it, but I didn’t particularly like or trust her so that didnt go as well as one would hope. Didn’t help she only called me out, and none of the guys saying the same shit. I hope GiGi has someone who cares about her, someone she’ll listen to, smarten her up.

    • Nona says:

      Not many people can be that honest with themselves, let alone others. Good for you. And I get what you mean about being embarrassed by your young self—thank the goddess they didn’t have cell phones when I was young. Still, after a while, you just have to let it go. It’s not who you were, it’s who you’ve become.

    • Shambles says:

      Your self-reflection and growth are very inspiring, Detrius.

    • detritus says:

      Thank you ladies, it’s very sweet of you to say, and thank you for finding a silver lining in my mess. I don’t deserve praise though, not for being less of an asshole now. I lucked out and was exposed to some really strong smart women and thoughtful caring men in my education who showed me the way. This site and the commenters on other sites helped as well.

      This is honestly why I believe kindness is an under rated skill. If you practice kindness and empathy, you will find your way to being a better person. Kindness was not something emphasized in my family, not like athletics and academics, and it left me distinctly lacking.

      Nona, I don’t know if you are a grandma, but that is some perfect wise grams advice. I don’t think I’ll ever let that feeling completely go, but I’ll remember your words.

    • Madailein says:

      I grew up in an almost all white, small Eastern European nation, where I had very little to no chance to meet people of other backgrounds and races. The very few minorities who did reside there, such as Jews, had been subject to such terrible mass murder and ongoing abuse during and after WW2 that I felt terribly guilty and frightened for the ones who still lived there. I was extremely lucky to have moved to a very large, very diverse city in the United States when I was 14, and to have learned about different races and ethnicities firsthand, by becoming friends with them. Yet, in my native country, I still have some relatives who carry racist views—this despite their having never met any actual *people* of these races that they so painfully, foolishly stereotype. Today my husband is Jewish and my closest friend is Ethiopian, my brother in law is Palestinian, and I have many friends from backgrounds I could never have met in my first country. I have read–and certainly believe it–that the most prejudiced people are the ones who do not personally know people of different nationalities, and I feel so blessed to know so many groups of people—and the many different *individuals* of these varied groups. Knowing what I now know, I could *never* live in ignorance or prejudice. Yet, what is Gigi’s excuse? For Gigi cannot be explained by insulated ignorance, as she lives in L.A., a city of extraordinary, dense diversity–and is half Palestinian herself. Her (ex?) boyfriend is from Pakistan. If she is hurting and offending groups of people w her acts, then I am genuinely saddened by her and perplexed.

      • detritus says:

        I had no excuse either. I knew many, many people of colour. My hometown is known for its Caribbean and south Asian communities. I dated a Jewish boy briefly, a black boy briefly, and my first crush was a beautiful boy named Rajvinder who always matched his turban to his outfit . I was one of two white people in my upper year chemistry in high school. Two of the coolest girls in school were beautiful Asian twins that I thought were just the absolute classiest and coolest.

        I had no excuse, except that I thought it had no deeper meaning and I was being edgy and offensive and not a silly whiny girl with all those feelings. Shock and outrage for others feelings were weak, and a joke made at the expense of others was just a joke. I would fight tooth and nail for my best gay friend, for my beautiful brown study buddies, for my right as a woman to be equal. I missed so much nuance and had many blind spots.

        I’m hoping Gigi is a better person than I was, but fame tends to insulate, not expose, so I worry. Her heart does seem in the right place, she speaks out for equality. She’s going to get a lot wrong on her journey, and it will be her willingness to accept criticism

    • OriginallyBlue says:

      Mmm hmm I saw those and the amount of excuses made for this girl was amazing. She’s just doing her job, it’s not her fault she was styled like that, was she supposed to say no, she’s a POC so it doesn’t count, when black women have straight/blonde hair it’s not CA, so why is this etc etc. My eyes got quite a workout.

    • Anilehcim says:

      OMG the pics with the curly wigs…. I actually gasped! That is appalling. I guess the fashion industry will do whatever they can to not hire black models…. major WTF!

      People need to stop acting like these 2 are woke. Bella’s twitter account had a lot of old tweets from a few years ago that were racist AF. Dumb shit, like “I just stole a black man’s chicken”

  8. pretty says:

    that is a sumo (japanese) cookie. the hair-style is sumo and someone on twitter reply even had a detailed picture.

    and also, yolanda(her mother) once said on that housewives tv that she doesn’t like gigi having a chinese looking eye make up.

  9. Anare says:

    It is a cookie! She probably thought it was cute and tried to make the same face. That doesn’t mean she is hating on Asians. #outragefatigue

    • Lyka says:

      I too am fatigued, but only of this tired “Asian eyes” joke. It’s so reflexive and casual, and while internet pile ons tend to get out of control, what she did was indeed offensive and hurtful. Not malicious I’m sure, but most microaggressions aren’t.

    • Kasia says:

      It must be so hard to keep getting called out for being a bad person. You have my sympathy. 🙁

    • detritus says:

      I obliquely mentioned this in reference to myself, but you don’t have to have a deep seated superiority complex to say and do things that are hurtful and offensive, especially if you think they are funny/outrageous/shocking etc.

      With such a large platform it’s good for GiGi to realize she should probably err on the side of caution and diplomacy, and that she should listen to her minority followers and friends when they say they are hurt. It isn’t about your intent all the time, and it’s a steep learning curve for a lot of people so they often mess up. Doesn’t mean those missteps shouldn’t be pointed out.
      It’s hard to be a better ally if you shut out criticism you don’t like.

  10. Miss Kittles says:

    I feel like this world is going to forget what actual real racism looks like if everyone focuses on dumb sh*t like this!!!! Her imitating the face on a cookie is not racist. She’s being silly! She’s making the face of the COOKIE…. not her server!!!!

    • PrincessMe says:

      +1

    • Lyka says:

      Tell me you live life instead Asian skin. Otherwise, I’m not sure it makes sense to categorize things into “real” or fake racism. The ongoing joke about Asian eyes is generations old, and it crops up every now and again, even when the perpetrator doesn’t understand how or why it’s hurtful.

      I don’t think Hadid needs to be utterly destroyed for this, but if the debate is whether or not it’s offensive, let’s let ethnically Asian people have their voice heard in the matter without minimizing their point.

      • Holla here says:

        MTE, Lyka.

        I’m Asian with “small” eyes and I find this rude and offensive. And yes, racist.

      • mee says:

        Yeah, I’m Asian and I think I would have cringed if this happened in front of me. It just regurgitates that old jokes and racist slurs about Asians with small or slanted eyes. that said, I’ve seen and heard a lot worse. Great that it’s being used as a conversation starter about Asian racism though and maybe it helps everyone to become a bit more sensitive to this form of racism… while we’re fighting all other forms.

      • Kasia says:

        I’m so disappointed by the responses here. I get that most people here are white and don’t care about the rest of us but stop fucking making fun of Asian eye shapes, okay?

      • Moneypenny says:

        I too am surprised that so many commenters don’t realize that making fun of Asian eyes is the oldest racist trick in the book. Just because so many people do it does not make it less racist or less hurtful.

  11. Mike says:

    I remember when Bella Hadid had a bunch of racist tweets that she put out as a younger teen making fun of black people as well. That being said I do not believe either of these women are racist as much as they are naive and ignorant. I don’t think there was malice involved. Just some stupidity

  12. pretty says:

    White people made it fashionable to make fun of Asians for the different eye shape than themselves. A lot of commentors here sound very ignorant and naive. Do you know how many Asian kids in school get mocked for their eyes and bullies making THAT exact face that Gigi made? So white people mock Asians for having a different eye shape than them, and Asians get insecure and offended, and now you are turning around getting awshucked, saying, ” who cares! it’s just eyes! it’s just the cookie!. ” as if the white media, culture have been doing that exact thing with condescending, derogatory fashion. that face gigi made has been done by bullies so. many. times over several decades. you don’t have to detest the entire Asian race to be racist. the fact that you are looking down at someone for having different eyeshape (that the white media tells them as ugly) is being racist.

    • Jaded says:

      I think saying only white people are guilty of making un of Asain people is a bit naive, Rihanna had no problems dropping some serious shade at Keruche. My point is that a lot of races that mock Asians and all of it is wrong.

    • Frigga says:

      Same with all other races, not just white people

  13. Patricia says:

    As a Buddhist it always bothers me how the Buddha is used for all different things like cookies, and silly little decorations which show no respect.
    I have a deep feeling of respect and religious piety when I see an image of the Buddha. American culture treats such images like a joke. It does bother me. Buddha cookie bothers me.

    So I guess I have to practice more non-attachment when it comes to images of the Buddha. But can you imagine if Jesus was used as a silly decoration all the time?

    • Jaded says:

      To be honest the Cross, a sacred Christian symbol, has been used over and over again in fashion. People wear Rosaries as necklaces which is a hugely disrespectful in Catholism. I’m not religious personally but it really bothers me when others make fun or disrespect others beliefs.

      • Patricia says:

        That sucks too 🙁
        I am not Christian but I would never want to disrespect any Christian symbol. You know the little Jesus fish that you see on people’s cars? I find it so irritating when you see the same fish with little feet and it says “evolution” inside. Of course evolution is a fact but why use someone else’s symbol of religion to make a point? It’s so needlessly aggressive and disrespectful. The fish alone doesn’t say “I disbelieve evolution”, it’s just a symbol for Christiana to feel proud about Jesus.
        I hope eventually everyone will respect all religious symbols. It seems like common courtesy to me to just leave those things alone .

      • Otaku Fairy says:

        “I hope eventually everyone will respect all religious symbols. It seems like common courtesy to me to just leave those things alone .”
        I sort of disagree with people on this principle. I’m an Agnostic feminist and really believe that there should be a compromise between the religious and the non-religious in society that involves a balance of equal respect for people’s right to be religious and people’s right to be able to mock, criticize, joke about, or just be casual about religious beliefs and symbols.

    • Bella says:

      I’m also Buddhist and having spent much time in Asia, I can attest to the fact that Buddha’s image appears commonly on items for sale. Buddha instructed his followers not to worship his image/form, but, to practice the Dhamma, in order to end their suffering. Pretending that Buddhists are more pious, is naive, as in general, people do not adhere too closely to the tenets of their chosen faith.

      • Patricia says:

        I didn’t Imply that buddhists are more pious, and I’m aware of the teachings of the Buddha being a Buddhist myself.
        I do practice non attachment toward the image of the Buddha. But I’m not perfect and it still does bother me when I see the image used in a way I find disrespectful. It just seems so unnecessary to me.

  14. ash says:

    :::looks at video…. goo back under cover to finish restful nap:::

  15. Amide says:

    Who would have thought either of the dead eyed Hadids could even muster any ‘expression’ in the first place.

  16. Lucy says:

    It was a dumb thing to do, and while it’s fair to call her out in order for her to learn from this, dragging her to the ground is a bit much. Also, and in an absolutely unrelated and superficial note, that is a fantastic coat.

  17. Sarah says:

    Mega HRC supporter here to say that this outrage is seriously why Donald Trump was elected. Gigi did something kinda dumb, but racist? GTFO.

    • Pretty says:

      Trump became president because white people couldn’t handle minorities standing up for themselves. oh you feel uncomfortable because they couldn’t take your “joke”? oh ninorites are being too ~sensitive~ and just want to play the victims? we should just focus on the “REAL” racism , not just these innocent little jokes? love how people that are on top of social hiearchy think they can dictate what marginalized people can and can’t feel offended by.

      • Bridget says:

        Both lines of criticism are appropriate. Intersectional feminism is imperative, but as is to not surrounded ourselves in a liberal echo chamber. It’s fifty freaking states. There’s more than one reason.

      • Otaku Fairy says:

        “Trump became president because white people couldn’t handle minorities standing up for themselves.” Perfect response to these victim-blaming ‘This is why Trump won-because POC and liberal allies just couldn’t shut their mouths and choose their battles on what examples of racism to discuss/call out and what kind of racism to not say anything about so as not to make other people uncomfortable!”- type statements that have become trendier since the election, @Pretty. A vote for Trump- whether this was *every* Trump supporter’s intention or not- was a vote for racism (Among other things). So that kind of ‘this is why Trump won’ comment is like saying “Maybe if you people would shut up and be more willing to tolerate forms of racism/cultural insensitivity that other people see as ‘just a joke’, ‘no big deal’, ‘harmless fun’, and ‘free speech’, people would be less racist.”

      • astana says:

        And you still don’t get why we want the borders shut and deportations. Gee yes we should let everyone in so they can complain about white people and how awful we are. We must be evil for not wanting to be harangued nonstop about the most petty nonsense imaginable. How about this? Go back to your country of origin and you’ll never have to be around terrible white people ever again! But it won’t happen. The parasite needs the host but the host is getting pretty sick of it all….better tread carefully!

    • Lyka says:

      What do YOU think “racist “means, @Sarah? And why does your definition supersede the ridicule and hurt many Asians are feeling at this?

      @Pretty, you are singing my song right now. Thanks for being all over this, too.

  18. Clare says:

    These girls are woefully ignorant and uneducated. And it shows.
    Maybe she should have stayed in College – met some people outside of her circle of privilege, learned a thing or two about the world.

  19. Rocio says:

    Before I got into the topic, I NEED her coat. Being said that, yes, it was rather tacky the video. She should have known better.

  20. Pinar Okur says:

    Calm down people plsss
    She holds up the cookie, closing her eyes and smiles – theres no mocking
    Sidenote: she always has these bedroom eyes-half closed and sleepy

    Everybody is so extremely sensible these days
    (Im living as a turkish woman in austria – i know what racism is!)

    • astana says:

      I bet an Austrian woman in Turkey would also know what racism is. But she probably would deserve it for being born with the evil and irrevocable sin of whiteness right?

  21. Frigga says:

    I don’t believe she realized how offensive her actions could have been to us Asians. Not because she’s racist, but because she’s a serious idiot. Mediocre model with a career handed to her, not expecting her to be smart. However thank you for pointing out how downplayed racism towards Asians is because of our skin tones and “not so bad” stereotypes. It’s really tiring and shows a lot of a persons true colors when they do stupid racist shit in front of me, but at the end of the day I won’t cry about it.

    • SuzyJ says:

      I agree. These people are not worth crying over. It’s just a shame, because she’s in a position of huge influence, a lot of young girls look up to her, and this behaviour – it gives a message that it’s OK. It really isn’t.
      For people who have sympathy and feel she’s being dragged over the coals – they needn’t worry. She’ll be absolutely fine.

  22. perplexed says:

    I didn’t know what to make of it. Looked like she was mimicking the cookie itself….I think?

    Why did they post a private moment? It looked like something she did quickly without thinking properly about the implications, but none of us would know about if it hadn’t been posted.

    Why is the Buddha a cookie?

  23. SuzyJ says:

    I found this racist and offensive. As other people have remarked, mocking Asian people’s eyes is an old insult which is meant to be demeaning – not cute or fun. I think the only people who’d believe it to be an “innocent” or “just fun” haven’t experienced this kind of derision themselves. I am Chinese and can categorically state, I found this rude, racist, offensive and incredibly disrespectful. But what disappoints me more is how other people are so quick to discount it and imply that those who find it offensive in some way are being oversensitive and over-reacting. I don’t think it’s ever acceptable to mock or deride aspects of a persons race. Sorry if this is coming across as rude, but I’m fed-up of people using “humour” as a way to justify racist slights and insults.

    • Chetta B. says:

      I would agree completely with you. I think she’s just too immature to realize her actions. Much like Ariana Grande licking donuts. Just idiots is all.

  24. G says:

    Ugh, why. Haven’t her parents taught her this was impolite? I feel like only 5 year olds do that, others know better, even if they don’t understand why it’s racist (which it most definitely is).

  25. Mean Hannah says:

    I read and watch a lot of children’s books and videos thanks to my kid and you know what always gets me? That even in multicultural books and movies, where the author and illustrator take care to be inclusive of skin tone, religion, gender, etc. with “good messages,” often have slanty eyed Asians. Whenever I point this out, I get called on for being picky and sensitive, that I’m missing the big picture and that I’m not looking at all the progress that’s been made.

    • Obviouschillin says:

      How would you prefer they draw asians? With white skin and big round eyes!? News flash… Asians DO have different eyes, and it’s what makes them beautiful.

  26. Obviouschillin says:

    She’s half asian fyi… Palestine is on the continent of Asia… also, this video is adorable!

    • Really? says:

      Stop comparing Palestine to a country in East Asia. You are well aware that Palestine is a state in the Middle East bordered by Israel and Jordan. Palestine has nothing in common with the countries of China, Korea, or Japan. No self-respecting East Asian person would slant their eyes as a joke. Only those like Miley and Gigi who see East Asians as “other” would think it hilarious to make fun of someone’s eye shape.

      • Chrissy says:

        THANK YOU FOR THIS COMMENT^

        I was getting immensely frustrated with this nonsense about Palestine being an Asian country. It’s a nation in the Middle East. Get your geography straight, people. Gigi Hadid ain’t half-asian. Don’t make up such a pitiful excuse for her ignorance.

      • Kiki says:

        Asia is a continent. Countries on that continent are Asian countries. Palestine is on Asia. Palestinians are Asian. She didn’t say she was SE Asian, or Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc. … She just said Asian. Just because its Western Asian doesn’t mean it’s not Asian.

      • Obviouschillin says:

        Palestine is literally on the continent of Asia

      • Obviouschillin says:

        Chrissy, the entire middle east is located on the continent of asia. Have you ever seen a map!?

  27. perplexed says:

    If she had used to hands to pull her eyes like Miley and her friends did back in the day, I think she would have been being racist.

    But here it looks like she’s just mimicking the cookie itself. She doesn’t appear to be pulling her eyes with her hand, which is what I usually associate with mocking Asians.

    When you look at the cookie closer, I can’t even tell if that’s actually the Buddha.

  28. I'm With The Band says:

    Good Lord, this is a storm in a tea cup. More importantly, can someone puh-leeze translate Zayn’s tweet? I have no idea what he was trying to say (and it makes me feel old).

  29. Ady says:

    a cookie with Lord Buddha’s face on it? that’s extremely disrespectful imo. People will create anything for money *smh*